In this article you will be able to read about everything related to being pregnant in week 36. You'll find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and tips you might need along the way.

Baby: Baby is almost ready to be baked!

The fetus is about 47 cm long and weighs around 2.6 kg. The subcutaneous fat has increased, which means that the skin is much thicker than before. Since week 35, the baby has now mostly changed its weight rather than length!

Foster fat
If the baby is born in week 36, the skin will most likely be white, sticky and covered in fetal fat. Fetal fat is a natural ointment that protects the baby's delicate skin during the first period after birth, so don't wash it off when you get home from the maternity ward! Instead, it's a good idea to apply it in a thin layer so that it doesn't irritate where there are larger amounts - fetal fat easily accumulates in the armpits or groin. 

Lanugo hair
Lanugo hair is the fuzzy hair that used to be everywhere on the body during pregnancy, but which is likely to be almost gone by the time of birth. The small amount of lanugo hair that is still visible is usually found on the back, shoulders and upper arms, as well as some fuzz on the ears. Lanugo hair can be both light or slightly darker in color.

Fetal movements
The more your belly and baby grow, the less room there is for the baby to move around inside. Therefore, fetal movements may start to be felt in a different way than before as you get closer to BF. For example, they may feel less strong even though the baby is awake several times a day. Precisely because the movements feel different throughout the pregnancy, it is good to rest for a while every day and pay attention to the baby's movements. Describe them to yourself to help you remember how they feel. Maybe the movements feel like kicks, pushes, twists or something completely different? You can also try to note the times when the baby is awake or most mobile and simply try to find a pattern in the baby's movements.

You should feel both that the baby is awake several times each day, and the type of movements. If you feel that they are less strong, fewer or unrecognizable, you are advised to contact the obstetrician.

Mom: Pregnant in week 36

Have you taken photos of yourself when you're heavily pregnant? At this late stage of pregnancy, you may feel mostly big and heavy - but it can be nice to look back on when the baby is born! 💜 

Walking
This week, the baby and the uterus are probably pressing all over your internal organs and it may feel cramped or uncomfortable, especially up towards your ribs but also down towards your lower abdomen. Or, in the worst case, both at the same time. A burning sensation in the area of the ribs may also occur because the uterus is pressing and squeezing nerves in this area. 

The pressure on your organs can make you feel more short of breath. When the belly starts to drop, many people find it easier to breathe, usually in the last few weeks before delivery. The sinking of the belly is due to the baby's head pushing further down into the pelvis. Just before this happens, however, you may have increased symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn because there is much less room in the stomach as the baby grows.

From week 32 of pregnancy, the midwife will feel how the baby is positioned in the belly. If the head or seat is down in the pelvic inlet, the midwife will feel whether it is moving, jerking or fixed. This is not really important once labor starts, but it is interesting for the health care professionals to know if the head or seat has not yet descended into the pelvic inlet. 

When the head or the seat penetrates the pelvic inlet, pregnant women can usually feel a feeling of heaviness and increased pressure in the lower abdomen. This feeling may also travel down to your legs or groin. You may then find it difficult to bend over or even walk as the feeling is that the baby's head or seat is right between your legs. It is more common for women giving birth to feel this palpable pressure on their abdomen as the baby descends. 

sex drive
Sex drive varies among pregnant women, and while some have more desire, others have less. Cravings can also come and go during pregnancy. In the final stages of pregnancy, it is good to know that sexual intercourse can in no way harm the baby or the pregnancy, but the mucous membrane of the vagina tends to be more fragile or swollen, which can cause discomfort. During intercourse, there may be a trickle of blood but this is neither dangerous nor unusual! If you are enjoying yourself and have an orgasm, you may feel more contractions in the moment or shortly afterwards due to the oxytocin released, but this does not mean that labor has started. If the contractions feel uncomfortable after intercourse, you can take painkillers.

First time with a newborn
What do you want to remember from the first time with your newborn baby? It can be nice to start planning whether you want to keep some kind of diary, notes or complete books about the first time or year with your baby. You probably think you'll remember every detail of your baby's first year, but babies go through huge developmental milestones in their first year, which can make it hard to remember all the details that seem so obvious.

You can read about week 35 here.

Here you can read about week 37.